A precis is not a summary or a retelling of the author's story. Explain the author's argument or thesis and the supporting arguments in about a page, double-spaced. Your perspective is not appropriate in a precis. Don't tell the story but focus on the ideas - use language like ' so and so argues...... so and so believes.......he points to such and such evidence.....
An outline of the article does just that, it outlines how the author makes her/his point. An outline starts with main idea or thesis and then indicates the arguments that support and fulfill that thesis. No opinion or analysis on your part of the argument or its effectiveness, just an outline of the author's intent.
talking points, precis and outline assignments
PRECIS, OUTLINE and TALKING POINTS
A precis is not a summary or a retelling of the author's story. Explain the author's argument or thesis and the supporting arguments in about a page, double-spaced. Your perspective is not appropriate in a precis. Don't tell the story but focus on the ideas - use language like ' so and so argues...... so and so believes.......he points to such and such evidence.....
An outline of the article does just that, it outlines how the author makes her/his point. An outline starts with main idea or thesis and then indicates the arguments that support and fulfill that thesis. No opinion or analysis on your part of the argument or its effectiveness, just an outline of the author's intent.
Pick one of the editorials here.
"Boom Town and Bust City: A Tale of two New Yorks"
http://www.thenation.com/article/158100/boom-town-and-bust-city-tale-two-new-yorks?page=full
"The Seige of Planned Parenthood" Gail Collins, New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/opinion/05collins.html?src=me&ref=general
http://www.thenation.com/article/158981/war-womens-futures
The War on Women’s Future
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-study-that-shows-why-occupy-wall-street-struck-a-nerve/2011/10/27/gIQA3bsMNM_story.html
Study on Occupy Wall Street movement, Eugene Robinson
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/04/opinion/oligarchy-american-style.html?_r=1
Oligarchy American Style, Paul Krugman
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/opinion/the-milquetoast-radicals.html
Milquetoast Radical, David Brooks
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/opinion/krugman-how-fares-the-dream.html?ref=paulkrugman
How Fares the American Dream, Paul Krugman